Movie History at Stoke Park | Luxury 5 Star Hotel, Spa & Golf in Buckinghamshire Movie History Movie History "From Bond to Bridget Jones, Stoke Park is amongst Hollywood’s hottest – and its right on our doorstep" - Wedding Ideas Stoke Park has always had a close relationship to Pinewood Studios (four miles away) and the British film industry. Two James Bond movies, Goldfinger (1964) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) were filmed at Stoke Park. The epic duel between James Bond (Sean Connery) and Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) is still considered to be the most famous game of golf in cinematic history. The famous ‘mini break’ and rowing scenes from Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) were filmed in the Great Hall, Lakes and The Pennsylvania Suite with Hugh Grant, Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth. In 2004, three movies were released all featuring Stoke Park: Wimbledon, Bride & Prejudice and Matthew Vaughn’s Layer Cake. In Wimbledon, Paul Bettany is featured on the grass tennis courts.

Layer Cake featured Stoke Park in many scenes including the dramatic ending with Daniel Craig and Sienna Miller, filmed on The Mansion’s front steps. Bride & Prejudice, a Bollywood reworking of Jane Austen's classic novel, featured shots throughout the grounds. Guy Ritchie’s 2008 movie RockNRolla also featured the grass tennis courts and the 21st green. The Stoke Park estate once again featured in W.E., Madonna's 2011 film about the romance between Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson and its effect of a modern day New Yorker.. Dead of Night - 1945 Two golfers, having fallen for the same woman battle it out in style on the golf course. They decide to play 18 holes who ever loses would leave the area for good. The location, none other than Stoke Park. James Bond - 007 The third and eighteenth movies in the James Bond series of feature films, Goldfinger (1964) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), were filmed in and around the mansion and on our championship golf course.

Goldfinger - 1964 It would be only a matter of time before James Bond's creator Ian Fleming would inject his passion for golf into a 007 adventure, and in his seventh Bond novel, published in 1959, he had his hero face-off against a villain with the Midas touch. In the novel Goldfinger, Bond finds himself very much in the rough when playing against Auric Goldfinger, international jeweller, gold smuggler and golf cheat. Set at the fictional Royal St Mark's at Sandwich in Kent (although a rather transparent use of Fleming's own club, Royal St George's), 007 narrowly escapes defeat by bringing a little gamesmanship of his own into play. The golf match for the film version Goldfinger (1964) was shot at Stoke Park, and remains cinema's most famous golfing scene. Sean Connery's agent 007 is pitted against Auric Goldfinger, in the monumental form of the late Gert Frobe - complete with Plus Fours! After catching Goldfinger cheating, Bond switches balls on his opponent during the match.

Realising that Bond is attempting to interfere in his affairs, Goldfinger motions to Oddjob, his deadly Korean manservant and caddie, to sever the head of a nearby statue with his steel-rimmed bowler. Bond is suitably impressed, but wonders what the club secretary will have to say. Goldfinger explains smugly, "Oh nothing Mister Bond - I own the club!" Tomorrow Never Dies - 1997 Stoke Park was proud to welcome back Bond in 1997 when scenes filmed at Stoke Park. The film crew and technicians converted our Ballroom into Bond's hotel room in Hamburg. James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) learns billionaire media mogul Elliot Carver is manipulating world events via an exclusive flow of information through his satellite system reaching all corners of the planet. With a stealth battleship sinking a British naval vessel, Carver sees that the Chinese are blamed. Crashing Carver's party in Hamburg, Bond meets "journalist" Wai Lin, later revealed as a Chinese agent. In a brief tryst, filmed at the club, Bond renews his past relationship with Carver's wife Paris (Teri Hatcher).

Carver dispatches Stamper (Gotz Otto) cancel Bond, a struggle between them was filmed in the Ballroom. Bridget Jones's Diary - 2001 In the summer of 2001, Stoke Park’s Grade I listed building and breath-taking 300 acre grounds took to the scenes with a starring role in Bridget Jones's Diary. Daniel Cleaver (the dastardly Hugh Grant) takes the windswept Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) away for a luxury romantic mini break. As we can all recall, after a hilarious afternoon's rowing, filmed on the Club’s glistening lake, the couple retire to the Club's grand Pennsylvania Suite with its gloriously comfortable oak timbered four poster bed, exquisite marble bathroom, under floor heating and magnificent views overlooking the estate. Layer Cake - 2004 Stoke Park was used extensively throughout this cult iconic English movie, starting right at the beginning when Gene (Colm Meaney) says "I'll see you at Stoke Park at 3.00" and Mr.

X (Daniel Craig) and Morty (George Harris) speed up the drive in the opening credits and Morty says "This is sheer class" as they enter the Mansion. The famous lunch scenes with Mr X and the rest of his associates take place in the Wyatt Room and appear quite frequently throughout the movie. The Club's name and logo is used in the movie and even Mr X is given an Honorary Life Membership as a gesture instead of the £3,500,000 he was owed by Mr. Eddie Temple (Sir Michael Gambon), but the most famous scene was the ending when Mr X is shot on the Club's front steps by Sidney (Ben Whishaw) and Tammy (Sienna Miller) is left screaming as Mr X is lies dying at the front of the mansion. RocknRolla - 2008 Guy Ritchie's 'return to form' gangster movie filmed two scenes at Stoke Park. The first scene takes place on the Club's grass tennis courts when old-school gangster, Lenny Cole, (Tom Wilkinson) continues his influence on the Councillor (Jimi Mistry) and gives him an engraved lighter.

The second scene is on the Club's golf course, on the 21st green (with the Clubhouse in the background) when Russian billionaire, Uri Obomavich (Karel Roden) and his side-kick Victor (Dragan Micanovich) show their level of displeasure with Lenny using a golf club! James Bond Golfs with Goldfinger | BAMF Style James Bond Golfs with Goldfinger Sean Connery at Stoke Poges Golf Club as James Bond in Goldfinger. With the close of the PGA Championship (Congrats to Jason Dufner), we focus on another style icon’s day at the golf course. Vitals Sean Connery as James Bond, British secret agent and sportsman Stoke Poges, England, Summer 1964 Film: Goldfinger Release Date: September 18, 1964 Director: Guy Hamilton Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell Background Much like all pre-You Only Live Twice Bond films, Goldfinger is a very close adaptation of the material in the book.

While some parts are different – for instance, the animosity between Bond and Goldfinger is initially more toned down in the book and the two even share a meal after their day at the golf course – it generally follows the same structure. Bond is recruited by an American (CIA agent Felix Leiter in the film and gambler Junius Du Pont in the book) to catch Goldfinger cheating in Miami. After a dalliance with Goldfinger’s girl, Bond returns to London, believing the issue behind him and ready to go back to work. Not so fast, Bond’s boss M tells him; this man Goldfinger is actually subject to investigation as requested by Colonel Smithers of the Bank of England. Thus, Bond finds himself in the English countryside looking to engage his soon-to-be enemy in a friendly but high stakes game of golf. In the film, Bond and Goldfinger face off at Stoke Poges Golf Club in Stoke Poges, a village in Buckinghamshire. The location in the book, for those who are interested, is the Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, very near the literary Goldfinger’s mansion.

After a “chance” meeting, Bond ropes Goldfinger into a game and, before long, encounters his mute and muscular Korean manservant, the aptly-named Oddjob. Once all the pieces are in play, the unlikely foursome heads out onto the links: Bond, his marble-mouthed caddy Hawker, the Edwardian-dressed Goldfinger, and the wrestler-turned-servant Oddjob. Which of these four guys would you rather look like on a golf course? What’d He Wear? Although more traditional than the youthful T-shirt and slacks chosen by Thomas Crown , Connery’s Bond still looks every bit of a young sportsman when he faces off against Goldfinger on the Stoke Poges golf course. The contrast between the fresh and young-looking Bond and the old, unathletic Goldfinger in his plus-fours is undeniable. Although the attire is slightly different from the book, Bond’s generalization for Goldfinger’s anachronistic outfit remains valid: It was as if Goldfinger had gone to his tailor and said, “Dress me for golf – you know, like they wear in Scotland.” In accordance with the film’s product placement deals, Bond wears a dark burgundy V-neck sweater with ribbed sleeves.

This is one of the few items that Bond – especially Connery’s Bond – wears with a visible logo, as a pale yellow Slazenger panther logo is placed on the left chest. Slazenger is mentioned several times by name in the film as it is Goldfinger’s ball of choice although Bond prefers his Penfolds. But more on that later. Although Slazenger must have been pretty proud to have a spokesman like James Bond. Underneath the sweater, Bond sports a light heathered gray polo shirt with two light gray buttons that shine white under the sun. Bond appropriately only wears the bottom button fastened. The polo is also long-sleeved, sneaking out through Bond’s cuffs in some shots. This shirt is worn tucked in, but the sweater is worn over the trouser waistband. While a long-sleeve polo might be warm under a sweater, it also protects the sweater from sweat and protects the skin from irritation, especially if the sweater is an itchier material like wool. As long as Bond is comfortable and able to swing his arms with ease, matching a long-sleeve polo and a sweater was a smart choice. Bond’s flat front trousers are a very dark charcoal, appearing almost black on screen.

They have frogmouth pockets, plain-hemmed bottoms, and the same traditional high rise seen on most of Connery’s Bond trousers. Some production photos make the trousers look brown, and Matt Spaiser predicted on his blog that they are navy blue, but they appear dark charcoal or black to me, so I’m assuming that’s what the filmmakers wanted us to think Bond wore. What do we think? Charcoal? Black? Blue? Brown? Or are all of our eyes deceiving us and they’re actually hot pink? Like Crown and many other golfers, Bond’s footwear for the day is a pair of dark brown leather Norwegian golf kilties with a single eyelet for the leather shoelace. There are no straps to fit. Since the course evidently allows it, Bond’s kilties have metal cleats on the dark rubber sole. Bond wears his kilties with a pair of black socks. Bond’s golf glove is red and white with a black strap to fit snugly on his hand. He wears it on his left hand and, when he doesn’t need it, he sticks it in his left trouser pocket. When Bond’s got his glove on, you know he means business.

No watch is visible, but Bond wears his Rolex Submariner on an undersized RAF strap for the rest of the film, so it is either under his wrist or in the clubhouse with his dressier hacking jacket that he wears for the rest of the day. His final accessory, and a practical one for playing golf on a sunny day, is a dark gray short-brimmed straw fedora. The hat has a very wide black ribbon with two striped bands, each one following a white-red-white pattern. Go Big or Go Home While he is a skilled golfer, Bond’s genuine skill is no match for Goldfinger’s cheating. Thus, Bond has to take things up a notch with the help of his friendly and talkative caddy, Hawker. After introducing potential stakes to the game – a genuine brick of Nazi gold – Goldfinger decides to make the game count: Goldfinger: You have no objection to increasing the stakes? Bond: No. What did you have in mind? Goldfinger: Why, the bar of gold you have with you, naturally. Bond: It’s worth five thousand pounds! Goldfinger: Oh, I’ll stake the cash equivalent! Bond: Naturally. But that isn’t enough for Goldfinger.

Breaking an inviolable rule of golf, he pipes up against just as Bond prepares to swing: Goldfinger: Strict rules of golf? Bond: But of course. Here, the product placement becomes important. Goldfinger makes a point of using Slazenger 1 golf balls. Interestingly, Slazenger is also the brand on Bond’s sweater and – with visible logo placement throughout – certainly got their money’s worth in mentions despite being the equipment of choice for the film’s main villain. Bond, on the other hand, uses the same Penfold Hearts balls he mentioned in the book. I don’t know enough about clubs to identify if he is also using a Calamity Jane putter, as he did in the Goldfinger novel. The James Bond Lifestyle site, an excellent resource for Bond fans, tracked down information about the Penfold Heart series. (FYI, Goldfinger’s golf equipment in the novel was a set of Ben Hogan clubs and Dunlop 65 #1 balls, so at least the latter was changed to fit the wishes of the Slazenger PR team.) Some people watching the film thought the caddy’s “Arnold Palmer” line was an in-joke and that he was actually played by Arnold Palmer.

These people obviously have no idea what Arnold Palmer looked like in the 1960s. After a wild shot into the rough, the four men go searching for Goldfinger’s ball. Oddjob, ever loyal, drops one of Goldfinger’s Slazenger 1s onto the rough, very close to the green. For any non-golf fans, this would be ideal when you hit into the rough. Of course, when Oddjob finds the ball, Bond and Hawker are rightfully dubious. Hawker: If that’s his original ball, I’m Arnold Palmer. Bond: (sly as ever) It isn’t. Hawker: How do you know? Bond: I’m standing on it. Hawker yuks it up, loving his client’s trickery. Bond must have felt bad that he couldn’t damage the ball while stepping on it with metal cleats, but all Oddjob had to do was squeeze it with one hand. I get why he was intimidated. After a scare, the plan works. Goldfinger sinks his final ball into the whole after Bond made the switch at a previous hole.

Believing himself to be the winner, Goldfinger gloats as Bond bends before him to remove the balls from the 18th hole. Bond: (looking at the golf balls) You play a Slazenger 1, don’t you? Goldfinger: (“Oh, shit.”) Yes, why? Bond: This is a Slazenger 7. Here’s my Penfold Hearts. You must have played the wrong ball somewhere on the 18th fairway. We are playing strict rules, so I’m afraid you lose the hole and the match. Bond’s shit-eating grin as Goldfinger angrily tosses his ball on the ground is priceless. However, the grin is later wiped away when Oddjob crushes the ball with one hand. It’s a great scene and now one of the most famous golf scenes in movie history. Besides the great shots of Stoke Poges, golf was also effortlessly integrated into the plot line without becoming unnecessary sports porn. How to Get the Look Bond’s motif for the links is shades of red and gray. You can try his look or set out to make your own based on his template (with help from Iconic Alternatives ).

Before eventually becoming an avid player (due to his experience in Goldfinger), this was primarily Sean Connery’s activity on the golf course. Light heathered gray long-sleeve polo shirt with 2 light gray buttons Dark burgundy long-sleeve V-neck sweater with ribbed cuffs and a pale yellow panther logo (bonus points if it’s the Slazenger logo) on the left chest Dark charcoal flat front trousers with frogmouth pockets and plain-hemmed bottoms Dark brown leather Norwegian golf kilties with a leather lace through a single eyelet and metal cleats Black socks Dark gray short-brimmed straw fedora with a wide black striped ribbon (with stripes of dull white and red) Red and white golf glove with a black fastening strap Do Yourself a Favor and… Buy the movie . Footnotes As usual, Matt Spaiser’s The Suits of James Bond blog also has an excellent write-up of this iconic golf outfit.

Film locations for Goldfinger (1964) Stay at: Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Spa, 4441 Collins Avenue (tel: 305.538.2000) Trivia Bond returns to Stoke Park many years later in Tomorrow Never Dies (though the hotel is posing as Hamburg. Daniel Cleaver ( Hugh Grant ) takes Bridget Jones ( Renee Zellweger ) for a mini-break here in Bridget Jones's Diary . It's featured also in Swinging Sixties comedy thriller Otley and, more recently, in Layer Cake , Bride and Prejudice and Wimbledon. Goldfinger location: Bond plays Goldfinger at golf: Stoke Park House, Stoke Poges, Slough, Buckinghamshire The budget was still relatively modest for the third Bond, and, apart from a week’s filming in Switzerland , all Sean Connery ’s scenes were shot in England. When Auric Goldfinger ( Gert Frobe ) cheats at cards at Miami's Fontainebleau hotel, Connery was filming his scenes on a mock-up of the hotel at Pinewood Studio.

This vast complex, Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Spa , 4441 Collins Avenue, is a regular movie star. In 1960, Jerry Lewis was The Bellboy here. Tony Montana ( Al Pacino ) chilled out by its pool in Brian de Palma 's Scarface , and Whitney Houston performed an Aids benefit here under the watchful eye of Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard . In fact, a lot of the filming was done not far from Pinewood in Buckinghamshire . The ‘South American holdings’ of the pre-credits sequence, are a storage tank complex at Stanwell, west of London between Staines and Hounslow; the cliff over which the Merc plummets is Harefield Quarry; while the ‘Blue Grass Airfield, Kentucky’ is Northolt Aerodrome. Goldfinger location: Goldfinger cheats at cards: Fontainebleau Hilton, Miami, Florida Likewise, the golf match between Bond and Goldfinger, supposedly at ‘Royal St George’s, Sandwich’ in Kent, uses Stoke Poges Golf Club, on the A332 a couple of miles north of Slough, Buckinghamshire .

The clubhouse, in front of which Oddjob decapitates a statue with his lethal hat, is Stoke Park Club , Park Road, Stoke Poges. It's since been seen in Bridget Jones's Diary ; became the interior of the ‘Hamburg’ hotel in another Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies , is a major setting for Layer Cake , and even became a ‘Beverly Hills’ hotel for Bride and Prejudice. Though the exterior of the real Fort Knox, Kentucky , south of Louisville near the Indiana border, is briefly seen, the fort was recreated at Black Park Woodland behind the studio at Pinewood. A wholly fantastic interior (the problems of storing gold bullion make vaults boringly unphotogenic) was created on a soundstage. Bond trails Goldfinger’s Rolls along Alpine roads and encounters Tilly Masterson at Andermatt, a small Swiss village, 50 miles south of Zurich in the shelter of the Leopontine Alps near the Simplon Tunnel. And although the long shots of ‘Auric Enterprises’ are the Pilatus Aircraft Factory outside Lucerne, Switzerland , the scenes set in Goldfinger’s complex use the familiar Pinewood studio buildings.

Stoke Park Club (Colt & Alison) - Top 100 Golf Courses of England Write a review for Stoke Park (Colt & Alison) The Stoke Park Club is located at Stoke Poges, a charming leafy town situated on the fringe of the Chiltern Hundreds. A Hundred is a traditional name for the division of an English county and the wooded Chiltern Hills (which separate Buckinghamshire from Berkshire) were once a notorious hiding place where robbers would wait in ambush. These days things are more genteel. In Bernard Darwin’s 1910 book, The Golf Courses of the British Isles, he wrote: “Stoke Park is a beautiful spot, and there is very good golf to be played there; the club is an interesting one, moreover, as being one of the first and the most ambitious attempts in England at what is called in America a Country Club.” Capability Brown originally landscaped the historic parkland in the late 18th century. Harry Colt then came along and designed the golf course, which opened for play in 1908. The signature hole, the 7th, the inspiration for Augusta National ’s 16th, is considered to be one of Colt’s finest holes.

The recently remodelled 7th now features a lake and a waterfall. Stoke Park is surely one of the finest parkland golf courses in the South of England. There is no heather here (which is unusual for the location); the main line of defence is the abundance of huge stately trees and Colt’s clever design. The fairways appear wide and generous from the tees, but it's important to get the line and distance right, otherwise you will face challenging second shots. More famous than the majestic parkland golf course is the 18th century mansion designed by James Wyatt (architect to George III), housing the clubhouse, hotel and restaurant. “The clubhouse is a gorgeous palace,” wrote Darwin, “a dazzling vision of white stone, of steps and terraces and cupolas, with a lake in front and imposing trees in every direction.” Stoke Poges was also used as the setting for the golf scenes in the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger, in which 007 had his famous match with Goldfinger. The film featured the scene whereby Harold Sakata, as Oddjob, spun his steel-rimmed bowler hat at Sean Connery. It missed 007 but beheaded a statue!

The clubhouse was also featured in the later Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies. In 1999, the course was extended to 27 holes. Each of the three loops of nine is named: Colt, Alison and Lane Jackson. The original and best course is made up of the Colt and Alison nines. In 2015, the Stoke Park Club commenced a bunker repositioning and renovation programme using the specialist golf course construction company, John Greasley Ltd. Reconstruction work was completed on the Colt nine in 2016 and modifications to the Alison and Lane Jackson loops will be finished by November 2017. If the above article is inaccurate, please let us know by clicking here Reviews for Stoke Park (Colt & Alison) Average Reviewers Score: Av. Reviewers Score: Style over substance. The clubhouse is magnificent, enhanced by the James Bond connection, the food and service excellent. The course is beautifully looked after, and the drive in as you wind past the lake to the clubhouse is wonderful. But that’s it for me: the actual course itself is nothing special. Colt was a genius but he could only do so much with the land he had.

It’s a lovely place for a day out and ideal for societies, but I wouldn’t pay the premium green fees and I’m surprised to see the course in the top 100 for England. September 27, 2016 Respond to above review A classy place where you are made to feel very welcome. The pro shop (Craig), halfway house (Ross) and clubhouse service is first class and friendly. Some reviews say this is an average course. However, if you appreciate Harry Colt and golf architecture you will enjoy the challenges that each shot presents. The condition of the course, in particular the greens was of a very high standard (even in December). The short 7th, the inspiration for Augusta National's 16th, is the highlight of the front nine. It will make you wonder why Augusta National ever changed the original design. The finishing stretch from 15 to 18 is very enjoyable. For travelling golfers the rental sets here were the latest TaylorMade clubs. If you have a late flight out of Heathrow, Stoke Park is an excellent place to relax before the long flight home.

January 05, 2013 Respond to above review At Stoke Park I felt there was a lovely collection of holes rather than a course with many outstanding holes. The flow of holes is very good with two consecutive holes of the same par with the two par4s that close the Colt (front) nine. The arrow straight opening par5 offers a gentle start, as you can recover from a poor shot, but it does at least get groups away quickly from the clubhouse. It is not until the Alison back nine that you experience flat, straight holes again. I had expected a lush and soft course throughout but was pleased to find it reasonably firm, making tee shot distance no problem (even I had just a wedge into the 5th), but accuracy more of an issue. Harry Colt was clearly a genius in picking the best golfing terrain, as the Colt nine is more undulating and varied than the Alison nine. Holes 6-8 are very good especially with the standout par3 7th with its green sloping back to water making a precise approach vital, with little bail-out room.

The 9th has a difficult looking tee shot but its approach is truly sneaky with dead ground fronting the green that was not shown on the complementary course planner I was kindly given.The Alison nine starts with some charming views and some more dead ground and clever bunkering to fool the eye, but after playing holes 10-13 I was struck by the feeling that I have certainly experienced much more difficult courses with less illustrious reputations. It begs the question of whether or not a course needs to be manifestly difficult to be considered good. If you like a course with pleasant views and the odd touch of subtle design then certainly Stoke Park will certainly fit the bill. However, the course then shifts up a gear for the last five holes with a long, gently-curving par4 followed by more undulations, and an excellent par4 17th of some 400 yards with a diagonal stream crossing the fairway in the last 100 yards. Strolling up the 18th fairway on a glorious evening in late summer, delighting in the serene surroundings, I felt glad I had played it but I doubt I would pay the full rack rate green fee for the privilege.

September 07, 2012 Respond to above review The first time that I have played the course in some years, and Stoke Park was in terrific condition. The tees were an example to many much vaunted courses, and the greens were fast and immaculate. It is a fine place to play golf, majestic club house, very friendly pro-shop, excellent food and not at all snotty or pretentious. Although it is a decent layout, I don't think that it is in the first rank of Colt courses, nor is it that stiff a test. It is not long off the whites, the fairways are generous, and the greens are mostly receptive. In my opinion doesn't deserve to ranked quite so high, and I am not sure that it deserves to be ranked above Beaconsfield or Denham, two other Colt courses located nearby. Both are certainly cheaper and less busy than Stoke Park. August 08, 2012 Respond to above review Played here on Wednesday, was a beautiful day, a beautiful entrance. When we arrived the service was exceptional, the shop staff were ultra friendly, every member of staff was polite and made an effort to make us feel welcome.

The practice areas were really good, as was the range, my friend and I could have spent hours practicing. When we got out on the course were were not dissapointed either, the tees, fairways and the greens were in fantastic condition. The layout is short but we did play from the yellows and it would have been a much better test from the backs which were a fair distance behind. In contary to previuos comments thought the last few holes were probably the best on the course. The greens fees are high but I believe value for money. March 30, 2012 Respond to above review I played Stoke Park (Colt/Alison loop) on 17th June on a reasonably windy day. First off the entrance up to the clubhouse is nothing short of majestic, the main clubhouse building is stunning and leaves you in no doubt you are playing somewhere a wee bit special. We had breakfast before venturing out and the service was excellent as was the food, the locker rooms are spacious and very welcoming, and they have a good range with free balls before you go out.

The overall conditioning of the course was excellent, the greens in particular were extremely true and quick, if you putted badly you had no one to blame but yourself. The fairways were lush and the teeing areas were very good. The layout of the course is typical parkland really, plenty of timber to keep you focused and a few interestingly shaped holes but nothing too severe. The bunkering is very good indeed, I should know as I found about 10 during my round! The par 3 holes in particular stand out for me, the 7th and 11th are both over water and are very pretty holes indeed, I played both of these terribly but I still appreciated how good they were. The 18th hole is a terrific par 4 with excellent greenside bunkering. The 16th par 4 meanders along the river and is a reasonably tight hole, and this is followed by the 17th which is a great par 4 where you can take the tiger line over the trees to give you a short iron in to the green. The holes are treelined in many cases but you can still spray it about a bit without being punished too harshly.

In summary I would rate Stoke Park as a very good golf course, it is very expensive to play and I was fortunate to play there for free through work, but I don't believe anyone would be disappointed playing here, the facilities are excellent as is the condition of the course. June 20, 2011 Respond to above review As written on here before the club seems to be lacking a bit of atmosphere, but all the staff are extremely helpful and friendly. The clubhouse is a sight to behold and stands proud over the course and it can be seen at many different points from the course. The course is good but no better than that. It starts with an average par 5 and the tee box seems to be cut out of a piece of the fairway, its a very ordinary start, however the next 3 holes are very interesting. The stand out holes are the par 3's 7th and 11th followed by 16 and 17. A lot of average holes with huge bunkers seemingly everywhere, doesn't look like a usual 100 year old Colt style in that sense. The condition of the course for January was very good.

Nice to of played it, but way over priced for what it is. January 20, 2011 Respond to above review I played the course a couple of times and I really enjoy playing at Stoke Park. The staff is friendly and helpful. The club house is breathtaking and by its own worth a visit. The best holes from my perspective are 7, 9, 16, 17, 20, 27. The course is quite difficult and I have not managed to play my handicap yet. The greens are fast and difficult to read. Some holes are a little bit boring (e.g. 1, 6, 13, 15, 22, 23). The combination Colt & Allison (1-18) is the best, but Lane Jackson is not far off. The course is lacking a little bit the golf club atmosphere. August 05, 2010 Is Stoke Park golf course in England the birthplace of Augusta National?

| England Golf Golf courses in England If you go A quarter of a century later, MacKenzie was commissioned by the great Bobby Jones to design a course on the site of an old nursery in Augusta, GA, where Jones founded the Masters, a tournament that has grown to rival Britain's venerable Open Championship. When MacKenzie reached a pocket of land in Augusta framed by tall trees and bisected by Rae's Creek, he obviously remembered his days at Stoke Poges with Colt, who also designed revered Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey "acclaimed as the finest course in the United States." "If you put pictures of the holes side by side, you might or might not see the resemblance," Collier said. "But they play very similarly. It's a three-club green, depending on the wind, which makes for a very scary tee shot. Anything that leaks right is in the stream, left is in the bunker and long is real trouble in the bushes or the back trap leaving a bunker shot downhill with water behind." "Anything in the left bunker leaves you with the shot from hell and once you get on the green, it doesn't get easier. The slopes are fairly subtle but there are some crazy putts with severe breaks.

Par or even bogey is a good score. It's just a great hole." No. 7 is part of Stoke Park's own "Amen Corner," a fearsome foursome that can stack up with any similar stretch of holes in the world. First is the 422-yard fourth hole, a slight dogleg right, followed by a 525-yard sweeping dogleg left through a row of trees, and then comes the uphill 408-yard sixth hole. Only when you finish those challenges do you reach the treacherous seventh. "One trademark of Colt courses is strong par fours, and there are two of them right there," Collier said. "The fourth hole is No. 1 on the stroke index, a difficult driving hole because it doglegs right and there is a big bunker there in the fairway.

It's also a tough second shot into a well-bunkered, two-tiered green that has some slope to it." "On the fifth hole, you need to hit your tee shot around the corner to have a shot to reach the green in two but it's a real risk/reward second shot because of the bunkers in the fairway 100 yards short of the green - another trademark of Colt." "The sixth hole plays longer than the yardage because it is steep going up to the green. Club golfers sometimes have to just take their medicine and lay up short of the bunkers that are 40 or 50 short of the green. You don't want to go over the green and have to chip down because your ball will roll right off the front of the green. You can't stop it." "We think it's a good golf course all the way round, but the front nine is a real test." There are other reminders of Augusta at Stoke Park, especially when the azaleas and rhododendrons are in bloom, most notably on the picturesque 156-yard 11th hole where the tee shot through a grove of trees must carry a lake.

In 1910, in a review of inland golf courses in England, Leslie Dobree wrote: "I will content myself by writing a few appreciations of the finest inland course in the British Isles, Stokes Poges. There are few courses where a player must sum up his position for every shot, and it is mainly for this reason that I think Stoke Poges is the very essence of first-class golf. I wish there were 50 more courses like Stoke Poges in the country." And there is more of it because in 1998, Stoke Park brought back nine holes which had been dormant since the land was used to grow potatoes during the lean days of World War II, recreating Colt's original 27-hole design. Moviegoers might recognize Stoke Park from the golf scenes in the James Bond movie, "Goldfinger," especially the car park in front of the distinctive white domed clubhouse. Bond, played by Sean Connery, was driving his souped-up Aston Martin, which was auctioned off in a charity event at Stoke Park a few years ago.

Oddjob, Goldfinger's caddie, threatens Bond by throwing his steel-lined bowler like a discus and knocking the head off a plaster statue. The statue is still there because the film's producers created a duplicate for the beheading in the movie. Connery, an avid golfer, hit his own shots in the sequence. On the 17th hole, another one of those Colt par fours that plays 418 yards, Goldfinger loses his ball in the rough but Oddjob drops another down his pants leg through a hole in his pocket to save his boss a two-stroke penalty. Bond gets even on the 18th hole, a demanding 407-yard par four into the wind, when he switches Goldfinger's ball. After Goldfinger putts out to win the match, Bond calls him for playing the wrong ball because Goldfinger had said at the start they were playing "strict rules of golf." Parts of another Bond film, "Tomorrow Never Dies" starring Pierce Brosnan and Teri Hatcher, also were filmed at Stoke Park, as were scenes from the 2001 hit "Bridget Jones' Diary," with Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant.

But more than anything, Stoke Park is another one of England's golf clubs that is a slice of British history. The Stoke Park Estate was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book in 1066, the year William the Conquer was crowned King of England after his victory at the Battle of Hastings. Queen Elizabeth I owned Stoke Park from 1581-1603 before it was taken over by Sir Edward Cooke, who coined the phrase, "An Englishman's home is his castle." From 1760-1848, the property was owned by the family of William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania. They will treat you like a queen or king at the five-star Stoke Park Hotel, which in 1999 became a charter member of Leading Small Hotels of the World, and now offers 49 bedrooms filled with priceless antiques and original paintings and prints. The signature Stoke Park Mansion, which was designed by James Wyatt and houses the hotel, clubhouse, restaurants and conference rooms, is said to have influenced the architects of the White House since the dome is similar and both edifices have an oval office.

Stoke Park will soon open its $14 million health, fitness center and spa adjacent to the main building, and Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Andy Roddick, among others, are expected to play in a tournament at the Stoke Park tennis center the week before Wimbledon. The Brassiere is a 1920s-style dining room that has a 2AA Rosette rating and the walls are adorned by original prints of vintage automobiles from the famed Monte Carlo rallies of the 1930s. Also, the Colt Bar has a distinct James Bond flavor. Other fine restaurants near Stoke Park, which is located seven miles from Heathrow Airport and 23 miles from London's West End, are the Fat Duck and the Waterside in Bray, and the Cottage in Wakefield. For pub food in the neighborhood, try the Red Lion, the Emperor of India or the Foresters. Also nearby are the Magna Carta Memorial in Runnymead, Windsor Castle, the Village of Penn, Royal Ascot Raceway and Henley-on-Thames, site of the famed Henley Regatta.

There is plenty more good golf in the area at the Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Foxhills in Ottershaw and the Lambourne Club in Burnham, which is owned by the famed Cliveden Hotel. Also debunking the theory that the only exceptional golf in the United Kingdom is played in Scotland and Ireland are Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, Royal Birkdale Golf Club near Southport, the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club in Warwickshire and the Belfry Golf Club in Sutton Coldfield, Europe's most prominent Ryder Cup venue. "We work with golf tour directors in New York and we've been hearing that for a long time, that people just want to go to Scotland and Ireland for their golf," said Joanne Scott, director of sales at Stoke Park. "People come to London for the sightseeing and the theatre, then they go north to play golf." "But I think we're changing that slowly but surely. We have a world-class hotel, with bedrooms on par with the Cliveden, and a full-service resort.

We are getting more people who come for everything else and now throw in a round or two of golf before heading for Scotland or Ireland." And if you want to play the 12th at Augusta but can't get on at the ultra-private club, come to Stoke Park and play the original. Tom LaMarre has been a sportswriter and copy editor in California for parts of five decades, including 15 years with the Oakland Tribune and 22 with the Los Angeles Times. Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. Stoke Park Club (Home of the Stoke Poges Golf Course) in Buckinghamshire - UK Golf Guide Staff service3 Value for money1 I was lucky enough to enjoy a round at Stoke Park this weekend and having not been there in years I was excited to see if the course was as good as I remember from my junior golf days. Thankfully it was and the 18 holes we played (the Colt and Alison nines) were a delight. The wind was incessant but if you were able to keep the ball on the short stuff there are plenty of scoring opportunities.

A good mixture of short par 4s and reachable par 5s are complemented by some tougher holes where par is a really good score. One thing I did remember about Stoke was the quality of the greens and I am glad to report they are still top class. Miss a putt on these slick surfaces and you know it it your fault! Missing the fairways in the wrong place can lead to a disaster thanks to some areas of rough that are knee deep and as thick as can be...however if you think your way around the course only really poor shots will wind up in the cabbage. All in all the golfing experience at Stoke Park remains top class and the clubhouse is as grand and enchanting as ever! Thoroughly recommended for anyone looking to spend the weekend playing golf in or around London. Posted by Rory Anderson on 18/06/2012 5 Staff service5 Value for money4 I enjoyed a fantastic round up at Stoke Park this weekend, with the course in magnificent condition, and the setting even better! The venue itself is steeped in history, and has provided the backdrop for some famous cinema moments, most notably Goldfinger and Layer Cake, and the drive up to the main building is superb.

To call it a clubhouse would be doing it a huge disservice, it is a grand old building that provides a great backdrop at various points on the way round. We were playing the original 18 holes (although the new 9 also looked fantastic) and the greens were amongst the best I have ever seen, very true and very quick, with some extremely tough pin positions. The real standout hole was the par 3 7th, that was the inspiration for the 16th at Augusta, made all the better by almost sinking a 65pt putt up and across the slope of the green, leaving a 6 incher for par! Overall we really enjoyed our round, and I now would love to go back to take on the other 9 holes! Posted by Tom Scott on 18/06/2012 4 Staff service4 Value for money3 Stoke Park is one of my favourite places to play golf. All 27 holes are lovely and if you play the course in the summer you are in for a treat. It is a bit pricey but if you get the chance to play here just the once you should take it.

The greens are the best I have ever pleyed on...so slick and true it is beyond belief! The clubhouse is an impressive place as well and as a total package Stoke Park has it all for a weekend golf break. Cant wait to go back. Posted by David Fisher on 11/07/2011 Played orignal 18 holes on a sunny May afternoon. Course looks fantastic and greens were like velvet - large, fast and difficult. The tee off from the front of the hotel is pretty special with wide open fairways but plenty of bunkers. Plays longer than the par 71 might suggest with lots of water, bunkers, rough and trees. Conditions were excellent. Not impossible but a good test probably aided by good weather. Practise facilities were also good as long as the weather is OK. Driving range between two fairways and aiming at a monument is a bit strange but no mats is nice - a real chance to play off grass. A series of other pitch and bunker areas are dotted between the trees - again you have to cross fairways. Putting green immediately outside of hotel. The downside - the price.

£140 for turn up punters, £100 for hotel guests - eye watering even with a free pencil! For a championship course perhaps but Stoke Park is no better than many local courses, and even with the price it was busy with club members. Nice to have ticked it off but not one to return to. Posted by Alistair How on 21/05/2009 2 Course challenge4 Value for money3 It may be expensive, but who cares when you can play a round of golf like this. Ive been a member for 4 years and i've loved every moment. After playing 1 round here, your overall game improves, and i have represented the junior team for 3 years now. Course is always in great condition, and give every player of every skill challenging holes. Posted by Adam C on 17/08/2004 0 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings This place is wonderfull if a little pricey,everything is done to perfection,the pro shop is very very helpfull,the hotel an experience.More courses locally should aspire to be like this one,perhaps competition would lower the cost,play with a member if you can.

The car park has the best collection of members cars you are ever likely to see,better than the Motor Show Posted by Paul Green on 24/01/2004 0 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings I have played the Old course many times but only recently played the latest nine holes. This is very well designed with some interesting and great looking holes. They have created areas of long rough right up to the edge of the green US open style, which is ok but doesn't always work on a heavily played course (which this is) as it can look untidy. The recent and continual improvements to the Old course are great, especially the bunkering. No question there are some fantastic holes to be found out here. Criticisms? Well sure it is overpriced but like the West at Wentworth, who can blame them when the demand is there. I would suggest they think about the possibility of cutting the rough way back to about an inch. I know it would mean less punishment for the wayward shot but they have plenty of other hazards and it would look more like a classic English parkland course and much neater.

Posted by Marc Haring on 05/09/2003 0 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings I'm lucky to have played here, a friend of mine having been a member which means it was affordable at £45 a round. Not sure I would cough up £100+ for a single round here. Still, that aside, the course is beautiful (not so much the "19-27th" holes) and some of the holes really are special (7th, 11th, 12th). The Clubhouse is probably the most amazing golf clubhouse I will ever have the privilege to visit. Recommended (with a member!!) Posted by Charles Gordon on 19/03/2002 0 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings Harry Colt CH Alison would be distressed at the redesign of his 15th and 16th; these modern style holes stick out like a sore thumb. And way too many new saplings have been planted adjacent to fairway bunkers. In twenty years many of the fairway bunkers will have lost any strategic merit.

Still there are some fine holes at Stoke Poges, the best being 4,5,7,8,10,12,17. Posted by Paul Turner on 10/02/2002 0 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings A good course with great greens but far too expensive and not value for money. If you get a freebie its well worth a visit but no value for £180 !! Try Woburn instead and play both courses for £150 Posted by CB on 06/08/2001 0 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings Fantastic club house. The best greens I have played on, and the 350 acres of parkland scenery are breathtaking. Posted by Richard Barnes on 09/04/2001 0 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings Greens are in superb condition although fail to hold a long iron approach...nice course but beware the cost !!! the cost quoted above must be for winter specials...summer prices almost double!

Posted on 25/05/1999 Overall Rating 0 Overall Ratings FOR INFO\r\nYou are missing the last digit on the fax number it should read \r\n01753-717181.\r\nIn 1964 the famous golf scene from the Bond movie 'Goldfinger'\r\n(Sean Connery & Odd Job) was filmed at the Club,\r\nIn 1997 the Bond film 'Tomorrow Never Dies' was filmed here.\r\nWe were voted golf Club of the Year in 1996.\r\nWe will be opening an additional 9 holes to recreate the 1908, \r\n27 hole course designed by Harry Shapland Colt.\r\nThe Clubhouse is over 50,000 sq.ft.

and was built in 1795, it \r\nis a Grade I listed building\r\n\r\nYours \r\n\r\nC M King\r\nManaging Director - SPGC Posted by Chester King on 17/03/1998 0 Golf treat - Stoke Poges Golf Club, Stoke Poges Traveller Reviews - TripAdvisor “Glamorous Location-Great Golf” Reviewed 8 July 2015 I was lucky enough to be invited to a corporate golf event at this amazing hotel and leisure complex. It did not disappoint! On arrival after driving up the impressive drive you are struck by the sheer majesty of the hotel building and the 5 star service from the staff. The food is brilliant and in keeping with the level of accommodation and the sheer beauty of the grounds is a fantastic view. The golf course is a familiar one for those who are Bond fans as it is the location of the infamous 'Goldfinger' golf game. The course is spectacular and challenging with greens that are as quick as you will face. There are plaques to mark the Bond film and the 8th hole which is the hole that the famous 12th at Augusta National is modelled on.

You really can see the similarity! After golf, there is a palatial locker room to take advantage of and to complete your day a well stocked (but slightly expensive) pro shop. A day at Stoke Park is an experience worth savouring. Visited May 2015 Course Source: Stoke Park, Foxhills You are using an older browser version. Please use a supported version for the best MSN experience. Course Source: Stoke Park, Foxhills The Sports Xchange 7/25/2016 By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange IN THE PUBLIC EYE: Stoke Park Country Club in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, England. THE LAYOUT: The legendary Harry Shapland Colt designed 27 magnificent holes on a revered piece of land, once owned by the family of William Penn, which has a recorded history dating more than 1,000 years.

Queen Elizabeth I owned Stoke Park from 1581-1603 before it was taken over by Sir Edward Coke, who coined the phrase, "An Englishman's home is his castle." In 1998, Stoke Park brought back nine holes that had been dormant since the land was used to grow potatoes during the lean days of World War II, recreating Colt's original 27-hole design. Unlike most 27-hole facilities, where each nine is numbered 1 through 9, the holes at Stoke Park are numbered 1 through 27. Colt also designed the famed courses at Muirfield, Sunningdale, Royal Portrush and Wentworth in addition to Pine Valley, considered by many to be the best golf course in the United States. Movie buffs might recognize Stoke Park from the golf scenes in the 1964 James Bond film, "Goldfinger," especially the car park in front of the distinctive white domed clubhouse. Bond, played by Sean Connery, was driving his souped-up Aston Martin, which was auctioned off in a charity event at Stoke Park several years ago.

Oddjob, Goldfinger's caddie, threatens Bond by throwing his steel-lined bowler like a discus and knocking the head off a plaster statue. The statue is still there because the film's producers created a duplicate for the beheading in the movie. Connery, an avid golfer, hit his own golf shots in the movie. Stoke Park is a resort and spa, but the golf courses are open to the public. DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Tim Harris LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Stand on the seventh tee at Stoke Park Club and you get the feeling you might be thousands of miles away. Like on the famed 12th hole at Augusta National Golf Club, one-third of dreaded "Amen Corner." That is because when Colt designed what was then called Stoke Poges Club (which opened in 1908), Alister MacKenzie was his assistant. When MacKenzie was commissioned by Bobby Jones to design Augusta National in 1933, he had a similar plot of land, so he simply borrowed the design. No. 7 is part of Stoke Park's own "Amen Corner," a fearsome foursome that can stack up with any similar stretch of holes in the world.

First is the par-4, 422-yard fourth hole, a slight dogleg right, followed by the par-5 fifth, a 525-yard test that sweeps left through a row of trees, and then the uphill, 408-yard sixth hole. Only when you finish those challenges do you reach the treacherous seventh. There are other reminders of Augusta at Stoke Park, especially when the azaleas and rhododendrons are in bloom, most notably on the picturesque, 156-yard 11th hole, where the tee shot through a grove of trees must carry a large pond. The last two holes for the first 18 are typically strong Colt par 4s, at 418 and 407 yards, which were the setting for the finish of the Goldfinger-Bond match. Goldfinger miraculously "finds" his ball in the rough on No. 17, after Oddjob drops a new one out of a hole in his pocket, and the criminal mastermind wins the hole. However, Bond turns the tables on No. 18 below the famous Stoke Park dome to claim the match.

OTHER COURSES IN THE AREA: Stoke Park, located outside London on the outskirts of Windsor and Eaton about 7 miles from Heathrow Airport, is near some other shrines of British golf -- including the Wentworth Club and its famed West Course in Virginia Water; and Sunningdale Golf Club in Sunningdale. Also in the area are Lambourne Club in Burnham, Woburn Golf Club in Milton Keynes and Foxhills Golf Resort and Club in Ottershaw -- which is considered the most American-like club in England. WHERE TO STAY: You will be treated like a queen or king at the five-star Stoke Park Hotel, which in 1999 became a charter member of Leading Small Hotels of the World. It offers 20 bedrooms filled with priceless antiques and original paintings and prints. Stoke Park Mansion, which houses the hotel, clubhouse, restaurants and conference rooms, is said to have influenced the architects of the White House since the dome is similar and both edifices have an oval office. Not far is the luxurious Cliveden Hotel, the former Astor estate, in Taplow.

Also close are the Bull Hotel, a 17th-century coach stop in Gerrards Cross; Burnham Beeches Hotel, a magnificent structure of Georgian architecture on 10 landscaped acres in Burnham; Grovefield House Hotel, a charming Edwardian country house in Slough; the Christopher Hotel, the only hotel in Eton; the Castle Hotel Windsor MGallery, a two-minute walk from the front gate at Windsor Castle; and Sir Christopher Wren Hotel and Spa on the banks of the Thames River in Windsor. ON THE WEB: THE LAST RESORT: Foxhills Hotel and Resort in Ottershaw, Surrey, England THE LAYOUT: They aren't going to start running up the Stars and Stripes alongside the Union Jack anytime soon, but Foxhills Golf Club might be more like an American club than any other in the United Kingdom. It is not only that the three courses at Foxhills look and play very much like courses in the United States, it also is the membership. Roughly 20 percent of the members are Americans, executives who work for large firms in and around London. Many of them bring their families because they often stay for several years, and there are several top-rate American schools in the area.

The late Bernard Hunt, honored as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth, was the first head professional at Foxhills when the club opened in 1975, and he served for 25 years. Hunt, who died in 2013 at the age of 83, also played on Senior European PGA Tour. Hunt, who won 30 times on the European PGA Tour and led the tour's Order of Merit in 1961 and 1963, played a key role in one of England's greatest golf victories in the 1957 Ryder Cup at Lindrick Golf Club in Yorkshire, a result that ended a 24-year hold on the Cup by the United States. One of eight pros to hold lifetime membership in the British PGA and former captain of the organization, Hunt participated in eight Ryder Cups, including two as captain. The junior program at Foxhills produced Paul Casey, who won three Pacific 10 Conference championships at Arizona State and broke records set there by Phil Mickelson before joining the PGA Tour, and Anthony Wall, who plays the European Tour.

For tourists, Foxhills is not far from Windsor Castle, Hampton Court (favorite home of Henry VIII), Ascot Racecourse and the original Legoland. HEAD PROFESSIONAL: Paul Creamer LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Both 18-hole layouts at Foxhills, which were designed by F.W. Hawtree and opened six months apart in 1975, are what the English call parkland, or heathland, courses. The par-72, 6,883-yard Bernard Hunt championship course is longer but more wide open and forgiving. The par-71 Longcross Course is shorter but narrower, weaving 6,743 yards through gently undulating and picturesque wooded terrain with trees bordering every fairway. The signature hole of the Bernard Hunt course is the 10th, a daunting 445-yard par 4 that plays downhill to a valley and then uphill to a green protected by two bunkers in front and overhanging trees on the right. On a clear day, you can see Canary Wharf in London from the elevated tee, from which the best drive is down the left side to provide the best angle into a green that slopes dramatically from back right to front left.

That follows the best par 5 on the course, the 560-yard ninth, which also can be a heart-tugger. It plays slightly downhill off the tee, with a pond in the fairway waiting to swallow any second shots that are mis-hit. The opening to the green is narrow because of trees on the left and a bunker on the right. Another real test can be found on the dogleg left, par-4, 446-yard 18th, which is considered one of the most difficult finishing holes in English golf. The tee shot must carry more than 200 yards to reach the narrow sloping fairway, and the approach is partially blind up the hill to a spacious double green that it shares with No. 18 on the Longcross Course. The uphill, par-4, 430-yard ninth is the most difficult hole on the Longcross Course, requiring a tee shot of more than 200 yards to clear a bunker on the left side and creating the best chance to hit the green in two.

The Longcross, which winds through Scots pine, beech and silver birch trees, finishes with an uphill par 5 that measures 531 yards, with a large tree on the left narrowing the fairway for the second shot. Again, the approach shot is partially blind to the large, double green. The course even lives up to its name. Foxes are often spotted by golfers along with deer, rabbits and other wildlife. The nine-hole Manor Course, designed by Hunt, offers a championship-standard layout in a beautiful setting next to the grand Manor House. OTHER COURSES IN THE AREA: Stoke Park Club in Stoke Poges, where the golf scenes and a few others were filmed for the James Bond classic "Goldfinger," is located outside London on the outskirts of Windsor and Eaton about 7 miles from Heathrow Airport. Also nearby are some other shrines of British golf, including the Wentworth Club and its famed West Course in Virginia Water, Sunningdale Golf Club in Sunningdale, and Lambourne Club in Burnham.

WHERE TO STAY: Located 20 minutes from Heathrow Airport, the 400-acre Foxhills estate offers a 40-suite, four-star hotel in the 19th-century manor house. The five-star Stoke Park Hotel, which in 1999 became a charter member of Leading Small Hotels of the World, offers 20 bedrooms filled with priceless antiques and original paintings and prints on grounds once trod by William Penn and Queen Elizabeth I. Also close are the Bull Hotel, a 17th-century coach stop in Gerrards Cross; Burnham Beeches Hotel, a magnificent structure of Georgian architecture on 10 landscaped acres in Burnham; Grovefield House Hotel, a charming Edwardian country house in Slough; the Christopher Hotel, the only hotel in Eton; Castle Hotel Windsor MGallery in Windsor, a two-minute walk from the front gate at Windsor Castle; and Sir Christopher Wren Hotel and Spa, on the banks of the Thames River in Windsor. ON THE WEB:

Question: Which Bond movie used Stoke Poges golf club for some location shots?
Answer: Goldfinger